Might have overcrimped this one a bit...

[berettaprofessor]

In the "I was tired reloading errors" category, I submit this entry:



Explanation: I had just loaded 50 cartridges of 243 Winchester on a Lee Breechlock single stage; Hornady 75 grain V-MAX, OAL to 2.640, and very lightly crimped with a Lee Crimp die, it was late in the day, and I was a little tired. As I was boxing them, I noticed a single round had a primer that looked a little high (had previously sized and trimmed and then primed on press before charging). I put it back in the press with the proper primer arm in place and leaned on it with all my might. Except that I pushed "down" instead of "up", with the LCD still in place at the top of the press and I crimped it to extremes instead of reseating the primer.

After I realized what I had done, I decided NOT to just fire the round (I try not to consciously do stupid things), but pulled the bullet with a Hornady Collet Puller, resized with a neck sizer (pin removed), put in a new bullet, and LIGHTLY crimped the new one.

It does give a somewhat attractive hour-glass waist to the bullet, though. Anyone wanna bet if this would have blown up a Remmy 700? (43.0 grains of H414).

Lesson: Don't load when you are tired. Or leave the LCD in place while you are reseating the occasional primer.

 

[edwardware]

Definitely solved your setback problem. . .

No, that cartridge wouldn't have harmed the gun a bit. Neck tension is a rounding error from 0 compared to the force of engraving in the rifling; no amount of neck tension could have a significant impact on peak pressure. It does have an impact on pre-peak pressure development, therefore velocity, barrel time, and accuracy.

 

[Jeff H]

Might have overcrimped this one a bit...

Nah, Looks fine to me.

 

[CMV]

You mean they're NOT supposed to look like that??????

I didn't know you could do that with a FCD. Bottomed out is bottomed out? Maybe not understanding what I read, but sounds like you're saying pushing harder on handle cause excessively more FCD "squeeze"?

 

[Galil5.56]

In the "I was tired reloading errors" category, I submit this entry:

View attachment 822988
It does give a somewhat attractive hour-glass waist to the bullet, though. Anyone wanna bet if this would have blown up a Remmy 700? (43.0 grains of H414).

Nah; other than looking a bit comical, no blowup IMO... My .243 one hole group load used 47 grains of H414, CCI 250/Fed mag primer, and a 75 grain bullet... Groundhogs, crows, and Rock Chucks really hated it. Left the barrel at around 3475 fps as I recall from testing.

 

[Walkalong]

Definitely solved your setback problem. .

No doubt

 

[JimKirk]

Why are you crimping .243 ammo to start with?

There is no need .... if you have the correct neck tension to start with....

 

[berettaprofessor]

I didn't know you could do that with a FCD. Bottomed out is bottomed out? Maybe not understanding what I read, but sounds like you're saying pushing harder on handle cause excessively more FCD "squeeze"?

Yes, the LCD can be adjusted to add more or less crimp as desired, however it's also dependent on how "hard" your normal stroke is. So there's some give if you're used to putting only a pound or two of pressure on the handle, especially with Lee dies and their O-rings, and now you're putting 40 or so on it!

Why are you crimping .243 ammo to start with?

There is no need .... if you have the correct neck tension to start with..

Absolutely true, JimKirk. It is no excuse, but I reload mostly pistol and my habits there have carried over a little to rifle cartridges. I just feel a bit more comfortable with a consistent light crimp assuring that my OAL is not going to change, especially in AR loads (which my 243 isn't, I know, but again, it's a comfort thing.)

 

[Birdhunter1]

I've shot a few thousand I've loaded out of my 243 and never crimped one, there is no need.
Ford what its worth I didn't find anything the 75 gr. Vmax will do that the 87 gr Vmax didn't do better. The 75 might shoot faster and flatter for the first 150 but the 87 will g a very long range with a very moderate trajectory and buck the wind well. Just food for thought, I played around with the 55's, 70's and 75's and went with the 87. The 87 Vmax also works very well on Antelope to.

 

[docv]

Call me superstitious but I never attempt to reseat a primer once the round has been loaded.

 

[berettaprofessor]

Call me superstitious but I never attempt to reseat a primer once the round has been loaded.

I normally wouldn't do that either except when I notice it immediately after seating and the case isn't charged. Yes, it was certainly stupid to do it with the bullet seated and another reason I shouldn't have been reloading while tired. Definitely an Angel watching out for me this time. I do recall having the presence of mind to keep my face to the side....for what little good that would have done me. I was just PO'ed that the primer wasn't seated, hurrying to get done, and wasn't thinking. A sure recipe for disaster.

 

[berettaprofessor]

Ford what its worth I didn't find anything the 75 gr. Vmax will do that the 87 gr Vmax didn't do better.

I hadn't tried the 87 gr but will try it. 75 and 100 grain 6 mm were all I could find locally and on testing both, I have a nice sub-MOA load for the 75 grain and the 100 grain would group worth a darn.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Definitely solved your setback problem. . .

Ya think?

 

[bikemutt]

So that's what a cannelured bullet looks like, I've been wondering...

 

[CKweigand]

It’ll buff out.

 

[Dudedog]

New low drag bullet design Exploits the top secret BBQ effect.
Just like the Century series of wast waist fighters.

Make those puppies and with good advertising you could make a fortune

 

[300Whspr]

Professor,

That's an unusual way to set up your crimp die... how would you ever get any consistency when doing the crimping by "feel"? I guess it's possible, but... there are better ways to set up your crimp die.

As others have said... never try to re-seat a primer on a loaded round... what you have there is a little mini-grenade. Should the primer go off, it will likely be a bit more exciting than just the primer itself. Probably not deadly, but definitely more exciting than it would need to be.

That round would have fired just like any other... it would take a LOT more than that to make your 700 notice.

 

[Allen One1]

BP
Regardless of what others are saying I wouldn't have fired that round either. It may well be harmless but it's just not worth it to find out in real time. We reload to get consistency and that round is not consistent it is a known outlier. I would remove it from the herd.

 

[Stumper]

Don't reseat primers in loaded rounds. Ever. Pull the bullet and primer then reseat. Yes you over did it and deformed the bullet... but it probably would have landed in the group. Certainly wasn't dangerous to fire...but reseating primers in loaded rounds IS dangerous.

 

[Milt1]

Popeye, you eat much spinach?